Italian luxury and fine jewelry brand Bulgari launches its innovative online flagship store on Tmall
By Katja Laska (a EuroShop.mag exclusive)
Bulgari is taking its online presence to the next level and has teamed up with Tmall Luxury Pavilion on Alibaba Group’s luxury platform. The newly opened “Bulgari Flagship Store” is the first boutique of a global luxury brand to adopt the concept on an innovative flagship store on Tmall.
Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of the Bulgari Group, asserts the world of luxury has transformed and continues to evolve, which means his company must likewise keep up with the times. “We have adapted to the new lifestyles of our clients at 360 degrees evolving from hard to experiential luxury also through digital e-commerce platforms that become an increasingly important touch point both in terms of communication and sales.” According to the company, the flagship store offers an engaging shopping experience and demonstrates the Italian excellence and exquisite craftsmanship that have been inherited by the Maison since 1884.
Moving with the times
©Bulgari
The Italian jewelry brand takes this step to expand its omnichannel presence on the Chinese market and simultaneously breaks new e-commerce ground since its new flagship store concept differs from that of a conventional online retail store. The latter is – of course – an option for many retailers to get their products on Alibaba. Bulgari deliberately chose a minimalist user interface, designed to highlight the products and the distinctive style of the iconic jewelry house. Consumers can access the flagship store by searching “Bulgari” on the Taobao or Tmall apps. Apart from an amazing shopping experience, users can also explore the world of Bulgari and its rich heritage of more than 100 years.
An exclusive experience
Bulgari’s new store is in good, exclusive company. In 2017, China’s e-commerce juggernaut Alibaba launched the Tmall Luxury Pavilion platform to sell Western luxury brands to Chinese customers. Offering many interactive tools, the platform targets the young, tech-savvy, and discerning Chinese consumer group. “The new concept is designed to meet consumers’ needs for a deeper, more immersive, and purer experience from luxury brands,” said Janet Wang, Vice President of B2C Retail Business Group of Alibaba Group and General Manager of Tmall Luxury Pavilion.
Wondering what sets the Tmall Luxury Pavillion apart from other shopping platforms? In this video, Janet Wang offers a look into the backdrop and new features: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS1a1pF54hY
The official launch of the flagship store is just the beginning for Bulgari as the company is now working on adding the finishing touches. The goal is to keep evolving the store by introducing new features based on user behavior and feedback. To support Bulgari’s digital transformation, Alibaba joins the brand and develops sophisticated solutions pertaining to product launches, customer service, marketing, content interaction and service experience. Special projects such as a digital exhibition of exclusive high-end jewelry are also in the works, designed to send Chinese customers on a novel customer journey of luxury product exploration.
